Australia struggle against Sri Lanka

Australian captain Michael Clarke again failed with the bat as his side struggled in its one-off Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka at the WACA Ground on Sunday in Perth.

After winning the toss and batting first, the home side struggled to 133-8, after slumping to 43-5 in the 11th over.

Clarke went into the game under pressure to retain his spot in the Australian side in the shortest form of the game, as he is averaging just over 20 in the format.

He promoted himself to the top of the order and the move very nearly backfired in the second ball he faced, with an inside edge just missing the stumps.

Clarke should then have been run out on two, when he was sent back by strike partner Dave Warner and was well out of his ground, but the throw by Tillakaratne Dilshan from close range somehow missed.

The 29-year-old Clarke briefly looked like he would capitalise on the good fortune, hitting Dilhara Fernando through mid-wicket for four, before lofting Muttiah Muralitharan, playing his last game in Perth, down the ground for six in the next over.

But on 16, Clarke's luck ran out when he lobbed a mistimed drive off Thisara Perera (2-22) down to long on, where a back-pedalling Fernando totally misjudged the flight of the ball but stuck out his right hand to cleanly snare a remarkable catch.

Fernando had started the Australian rot when he had Warner caught at mid-off for two.

Clarke had faced 19 balls and his departure left the home side struggling at 2-22.

It got much worse though, with Perera then claiming Test opener Shane Watson for four, and David Hussey (7) and Cameron White (8) both going cheaply as Australia collapsed to 43-5.

Brad Haddin (35) and Steven Smith (34) then came to the rescue, their 66-run partnership at least giving Australia a modestly competitive total to defend, before both fell in quick succession to Suraj Randiv, who impressed with 3-25.